Page 23 of The Study of Magic
“If we’re not at the shelter by morning, keep heading southeast. You’ll run into the main north-south route and that’ll take you into MD-5.”
Ari and Ute exchanged a glance that clearly meant they wouldn’t be following his orders.
“It’s imperative that General Ute reaches the Commander,” Valek said. "I doubt we’ll have any trouble that we can’t handle.”
Their expressions didn’t change, and Valek didn’t have time to argue. He spurred Onyx into a gallop and Lovey followed right behind. Valek estimated how much distance the caravan would have traveled by now. They couldn’t cover as much ground as a horse carrying a single rider.
When Valek thought they were getting close, he eased Onyx into a trot until he caught a glimpse of the last wagon, then he slowed to a walk. Hopefully none of the drivers would turn around. Plus, the noise of the wagon wheels rumbling, in addition to the jingle of harnesses and clip clopping of hooves, should cover any sound Onyx and Lovey made.
Unfortunately, the caravan did not stop to water or feed their horses. Valek and Janco followed them until they reached a travel shelter a few hours after sunset. Hanging back, Valek and Janco guided their horses into the forest and dismounted.
“We’ll have to wait until they settle in and are asleep for the night,” Valek said.
“If they don’t post a guard, we could check the wagons while they’re eating their dinner,” Janco suggested.
Tempting. Valek didn’t want to waste too much time on this side jaunt. After they cared for Lovey and Onyx, Valek and Janco crept closer to the shelter. Janco’s near-silent progress over half-frozen ground, debris, and fallen limbs surprised Valek. Although it shouldn’t have. The captain had proven his skills when they’d implemented the fugitive exercise in the Snake Forest. Yelena had been their mock escapee, and she had impressed the hell out of Valek when she covered her bright red uniform with green leaves and then proceeded to climb into the treetops to avoid detection. Ari and Janco had tracked her despite her cunning. If Valek hadn’t distracted them, they would have found her.
Finding a comfortable and not too damp spot to wait, they watched the activity. The drivers rubbed down the horses, who munched from feed bags. Buckets were filled with water and set nearby. One man tested the tarps covering the beds of the wagons, ensuring they remained secure and keeping whatever was inside dry. Or perhaps just keeping it from blowing away.
After the chores were finished, everyone went inside the building. Janco, who’d been lounging against a tree, raised an eyebrow. Even though his expression was a clear communication, if Valek planned to keep working with Ari and Janco, he’d have to teach them his corps’ signals. Valek shook his head and motioned to wait. One of the drivers might have forgotten something. When no one appeared after thirty minutes and voices drifted from the building, Valek pointed at the first four wagons and then at Janco.
He gave a thumbs up and melted into the shadows. Valek counted to ten before he approached the second set of four. Lifting the tarp, he exposed a pile of burlap sacks—the universal carry all. They were tied closed with twine. He loosened the knot on one and peeked inside. Skeins of wool.
If these were the same merchants that traveled through Pelator, why would they head east instead of north? All the dyeing and wool processing happened in MD-3. Unless a new business had set up shop in MD-4, which would be legal but might upset their neighbors in MD-3. That might explain the early shipping and surreptitious route.
Checking the next three wagons, Valek found the same cargo. Janco appeared next to him.
“By the amount of wool I found, there are lots of cold sheeps around,” Janco whispered.
“Sheep is plural.”
“Then what’s the singular? Shoop?”
“Sheep is also singular.”
“That can’t be right. There’s a horse and horses. Cow and cows. Goat and goats.”
Janco continued to list all the farm animals, but Valek stopped listening. He considered the wagons. The wheels had sounded as if they’d carried a heavier burden than skeins of wool. Ducking down, Valek looked underneath the bed of one. It was hard to tell in the darkness, but the bottom of the wagon appeared deeper than the sides.
“Keep watch,” he told Janco. Valek pulled the tarp half off and climbed into the bed. He shifted the burlap bags to the side, exposing a row of wooden boxes. Ah, the real cargo.
He counted. Seven rows of five boxes equaled thirty-five. The square-shaped containers were about a foot wide and unremarkable. Lifting one, he strained with the unexpected weight and size. Not square, but more of a rectangle, extending about three feet. Odd. The lid came off without trouble, revealing a stack of dark brown blocks inside. Bricks?
Valek picked up one block. Its surface was greasy and softer than expected. Once he held it up in the moonlight, the smell reached him. A cold dread rolled through his stomach as he recognized it.
Criollo.
CHAPTER5
Cursing under his breath, Valek replaced the box, smoothed out the burlap sacks, retied the twine, and secured the tarp. The sudden desire to set it all on fire pulsed in his chest. Would this drug haunt him for the rest of his life?
“Something wrong?” Janco asked.
“There are boxes under the wool. Check those first four wagons to see if they have them too, then meet me back at the horses.”
“Yes, sir.” Janco disappeared.
Valek inspected the last three, but they were empty. Questions without answers swirled in his head. Where were they going? Who sent them?
